Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tim Scott, and Jacky Rosen have reintroduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which aims to address antisemitic incidents on college campuses. The bill mandates the Department of Education to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism when investigating such acts.

The legislation seeks to clarify what constitutes antisemitism and ensure that incidents crossing into harassment or discrimination are identified accurately. Senator Britt emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “We cannot allow antisemitism to fester in our schools, on our college campuses, or anywhere in our society. This legislation would give the Department of Education the tools to hold students and institutions accountable.”

Britt further noted that educational institutions supporting pro-terrorism activities should face financial repercussions: “Any American educational institution authorizing, facilitating, or otherwise supporting pro-terrorism activities should lose every cent of federal funding and subsidization.”

In a previous open letter to Jewish college students amid rising campus antisemitism and following violent attacks on Israeli and Jewish soccer fans in Amsterdam, Britt assured students of her support: “I want to make clear to each and every Jewish student on an American campus: I and my colleagues won’t stand for this. While your administrators may not have your backs, we do. And we always will.”

Senator Britt remains a strong advocate for the Jewish community and Israel. She co-sponsored both Senator Scott’s Antisemitism Awareness Act and Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act during the 118th Congress.

Parallel efforts are underway in the U.S. House of Representatives with Congressmen Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer leading companion legislation.